Dust cover for tie-rods or the like



Jah. 1 3, 1931. F: l(3,- CgRgwFQlrqD 1,788,381l

DUST COVER FOR TIE RODS OR THE LIKE Filed Dec. 19, 1925 I 49 www@ mugmn Patented Jan. 13, 1931 ZUNrrsn srArss PTi-:N

FREDERICK C. CRAWFORD, OF DETROIT' T Cerca* MICHIGAN, AssIGNoR To THOMPSON Paon- UCTS NC.,OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, .A CORPORATION OF OHIO DUST COVER FOR TIE-RODS 0R THE LIKE Application filed December 19, 1925. Serial No.v 76,452.' j

The invention relates to rod jointcouplings, and more particularly to provisions for preventing the entrance of dust and dirt into a universal joint employed at the ends of tie rods and drag links used in automobile steering mechanisms, or in other places, and to provisions forl convenient lubrication of such joints. y

The object of the invention is to provide means of simple construction, easily manu-- form which I have thus far Vcontemplated is through the ball' shown in the annexed drawings and which I shall new described.

Referring to the annexed drawings:

Figure 1 is avertical longitudinal sectionY through a. rod end and ball jointwith my attachment applied thereto Von the 'line I-I of Fig. 4;

Fig. 2 is-a'top plan view ofthe construction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the construction shown in Fig.- y1;

Fig. 4C is a vertical transverse section joint on theline IV-IV of Figs. 1 and 2; Y

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse section of Y a modification through a line corresponding to line IV-IV ofF ig. 1.

This invention is not concerned with any particular form of ball j oint,rexcept with respeot to certain features thereof, as will later appear, but I have disclosed herein a particular construction of ball oint for the purpose of clearly disclosing the relation of my attachment thereto, and I will briefly describe the ball joint as shown in the drawings.

A rod 1 of tubular construction is provided with ain enlarged cavity at its end, which forms a ball joint housing 2 for thek ball joint.v

an annular shoulder 3 being formed at the inner end of the cavity.` lThe outer end of the cavity is closed by an externally threaded rev taininglplug 4 which takes into the internally threaded end portion of the rod. This plug is held in Vany desired adjusted position by any suitable means, asV illustrated in the drawings, by a Cotter-.pin .5 which passes through openings in 'the end of therod and through a kerf 5a inthe outer end .of the retaining Y'plug. Vithin the inner end of the housing 2 the base of a coil spring retaining cup 6 rests against the shoulder 8. Between the retaining cup 6 and theV inner end of the retaining Vplug 4 are two ball seats 7 which have spherical segmental bearing surfaces engaged by the-ball 8 of aV ball stud having a shank 9 extending through an opening 10 in the wall of the ball jointlzhou'sing, which" shank is engaged by a member 11 of 'the part to which the rod 1 is to bevconnected.v The inner endj ofthe retaining plug 4 is provided with a. recess 12 in which is seated va coil spring 13 bearing against the bottom of the recess at one end and exerting pressureon the adjacentlball seat 7 topress it into engage-V lment Vwith the ball 8. 'Alike spring 1.3 isv i seated in the retaining cup 6LV at the inner-end ofthe ballhousing and'exerts pressure on Ithe' -adjacent ball seat .7 with likeeftect. 1f' de-v sired for purposes of original: ustment, or

-for the purpose of taking 'up undue wear in the ball joint, one .orfmoreshims 14; may be Y inserted between the bases of the `ball seats and the adjacent parts..- Through the wall of the housing beneath the ball stud'V there is a lubricating passage 15 through which a lubricant is forced into the ball joint.

Itjvill be apparent that, in'a joint. of the character above: described, dust and dirt would enter the ball joint unless the opening 10 were suitablycovered and protected from the entrance kof, such foreignmaterial. It is the `purpose of this invention to provide such protection and also toprovide simple means yfor effectively lubricating the joint without material modification of the rod. The means adopted for this purpose will now bey describedh Y wA split sleeve 16, preferably ofy metal, surrounds the ball oint housing, being made to au Y' 22 andinia tho. Passage .15. to tho hall-joint.

conform to the surface thereof, and is provided at its split edges With apertured flanges 17 adapted to receive clamping bolts 1S by means of which the sleeve may be firmly clamped to the ball joint housing. In the wall ofthe sleeve Vis an opening bounded by a angenl adapted -to receive an annular. Washer 2O which, when the parts are asysdeiii;l bled, passes about the shank yof the ball stud 9 and rests between the ball joint housingy and the connected part il eectively to close the opening through which such shankv4 passes.

In the form shown in Figs.` l tofl, a lubricant inlet nipple 2l is formed inthe side of, tho .Shiokl-.ohoot 90. degrees .from the. Washer dretz iinling flange froinkwhiclrnipple eX- tololo o srooroto apoio@ just hohar..tlisfliif..v bricatiiigpassagel inthe bottom Iof the hall. joint housing lhto .this hnplo iS. serted A any known valve or grease `cup suitahlo for Supplying lubrioaat., Itis obviousY thatvhoh grosso or oil is forood. .through .this npploit' will poss down through .tho groove.

i'vholioby tho latter soootvoly hlhrootool..

From thov above .dosorivtoh .it Will. ho .opposent that hovoproviolod o Tory .Simple ottaolmoont to, o joint, of the ohaiaotol? ohovo. Clo'sorihooli whereby thoiont may ho hibri-V i cated and the opening. adapted to permitthe insertion of the .hallandtho hall. Stud isoffoo'tvoly .closed against thoontraiice of. dust. ondclrt.;

Lhavo .Shown a modootion ofthe. hibri- Cating. passage .in the. Sleeve and ball. Vjoint. housing in Fig! 5. in which... the. lubricant. conveying groove QQisOniitted, In this casel I providethe sleeve .Witha nipple22 `positiene-.d in alineine'iit. with an opening 15a in., the ivall ofthe ball joint housing. By this means" the lubricantavill be. admitted to .the4 sideofthe ball joint .instead of. atthe v bottom thereof..v .Otherwise the. attachment is. the same as that slioivn'inJ Figs. l to. (l.

WhileI have described specific;` details of the bestforinof the: invention `.noiv Yknown tome, it islobvious-that the parts: maybe variedv greatly in structure, andthatdifferent features thereof .may be used With.. other features which may diifer greatlyefrom those shown. It is therefore to be understoodthat tliefinvention includes all structures coml.V As an article of manufacture a 'com-.j bi'nation dust coverandlubricant conveyor" and retainer for universalba'll'joints'coinf lprising a metallic member of substantially @yiidriwlshpeand aderen@ aardolie ball joint housing and'be secured theretgand, having a hanged Washer retaining opening ltherein, aV lubricant,v inlet Vtherelielow,j and. aVV

Maasai lubricant conveying groove extending from said lubricating inlet. Y

2. In a ball-joint for a tie-rod end, incombination, a ball-joint housing having an open-` ing in its Wall, a ball-stud seated in the housing and having avshank extending through said opening, a lubricant-.receivingopening iiigsaiduhousing to admit lubricant to the ball-joint, a dust cover and lubricant-retainer consisting of `a metallic member surrounding the housing having a` flanged opening surroundingvthe shank of the ball-stud, and

an 'annular VWasherseated in said opening to exclude.dust from ,theball-joint, said dust cover having an independent opening communicating with the..v lubricant-receiving opening iii the. housing..

3. san articleA of manufacture, a lubricant. attachment forA bearings. comprising a splitisleeve .shaped to fit theouter contour of a bearing housing, and means foi-securing the ioitions vof said sleeve adjacent the.. split therein together, said sleeve, having a lubricantUL openingand a lubricantconveyor *groovey in communication .with said opening and extending `about vthe periphery of the sleeve. Y f

an article. of manufacture,` a,lubri,

catingattachmeiit and dustcoverfor bean;-

ings, comprising a metalliQsleeVe-Iile shelll shapedto lit the outer contour of a bearing housing, and completely enclose; the joint therein, said shelhhaving a. lubricant openingand a lubricant conveyor' groove extend. iiigaboiit the periphery of the sleeve.

'sie

5. Asfan. article .of manufacture, .acom-v bniation dust cover and lubricant conveyor and retainer for universal ball jointsicomprisf. ing a substantially f cylindrical member shaped to. lit theball joint. housing .and completelyenclose the joint therein, and having. an openingtherein for the passagefofthe, shank of the ball stud, said iiieinberhaviiig. a lubricant conveyor groove formed therein,

the groove extending aboutthe periphery .of

themember. j Y

FREDERICK-jo, oa-avvronn.

the terms of the appended l Signed by me this 25thday lof November., 1925. i y

ier. 

